The scorpion and the frog

Ask a bunch of people if a person can change, and you will get various answers.  Some will say of course people can change, others will say that no, in fact one cannot change our true selves.  I tend to agree with the latter.

I will tell you a story. In my profession I have met many business partners. Some get along well together, some will break up. I remember now two guys, let’s call them David and Xavier, both doctors, who went to college together, spent long nights hunting emotions together and, yes, got into business together..  Xavier was the typical good-for-nothing guy. His nature made him lazy, irresponsible and he disliked discipline. But, as David said,

- He is my friend.

They decided to get into a hotel business and Xavier was assigned one of the establishments.

As a first measure, he hired a well paid Director General to do the job that he was supposed to do. He organised extravagant dinners, I remember one consisting only of ice creams (of olive oil, or cucumber, for instance). He  organised painting expositions and coral concerts. With all these events and festivities he forgot marketing and finance.

Finally he made the ruined the business and both partners had to face bankruptcy. But, finally, as Xavier he had nothing to respond with, so David wore the burden alone.

David finally recovered from the failed business, but Xavier never found anything to settle on.

This incident reminds me of the fable of the scorpion and the frog

“A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion says, "Because if I do, I will die too."

The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream, the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown, but has just enough time to gasp

- "Why?"

-Replies the scorpion -"It’s my nature..."

The fable is used to illustrate the position that the natural behaviour of some creatures is inevitable, no matter how they are treated and no matter what the consequences.

Moral: never be the frog